Today's garden comes from Lily in New Hampshire (zone 5B).
"After seeing so many lovely photos over the last several years, I finally decided it was time to share some photos from my yard here in Zone 5B, NH. These photos were taken a few years ago, when the hydrangeas were fabulous. I don’t know what it was about that season, but they haven’t been that nice in quite a while. I am moving one of the hydrangeas to a sunnier area this weekend. Hopefully that will make a difference! "
We are glad you decided to send us some of your photos! You never forget a perfect season!
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Comments
Lily, Those hydrangeas are pretty spectacular. Hopefully you can coax them into another great display again soon!
Thank you Tim!
Lily, I certainly see why that particular year was so memorable for the success of your hydrangeas blooming...those bountiful flower filled bushes are breathtaking. Are they the kind that blooms on old wood? I only have good luck with the paniculata types that bloom on new wood. The walk up to your front porch is very charming.
Thank you Meander1... The hydrangea in the circular birch tree bed is an Endless Summer Hydrangea, and the other one is a Penny Mac I believe...
I love how the hydrangeas blend with the petunias. Beautiful home, Lily, and beautiful photos!
Thank you Rhonda!
Lovely! Fabulous circular bed! Looks so good, we need to see more, please! A great container grouping as well. Glad you sent your photos in!
I will be sending in more shortly! Thank you so much!
The hydrangea and petunia colors coordinate perfectly together. Your home looks lovely with the abundance of hydrangea blooms and those charming window and rail flower boxes. So pretty!
Beautiful in every way, Lily! I think meander1 (Michaele) has come up with the reason for your problem. I remember struggling with Hydrangea macrophylla when I lived in southern Ontario (Canada). They set the flower buds in the fall so I gave them winter protection to keep the flower buds from getting damaged by the cold. Milder winters and snow cover would help.
We have had plenty of snow to act as insulation the past few years, so I don't think it was that... I think they need more sun! Time will tell!
Wow !!! Porch composition is so pretty. I'm in zone 7b and my hydrangeas didn't bloom last year. Lack of sun ? Fertilizer ? Late season cold snap ? Who knows…But when they do show out- what a show it is ! Such a pretty cottage garden & I thank you for sharing !
thank you so much for your kind words. I will be sending in more photos shortly
I love Hydrangeas they are one of those old shrubs that have stood the test of time and yours certainly have. They are gorgeous. Love the walkway to the front porch and the wonderful arrangements of pots with the gazing ball.
Thank you for your lovely comments! I have been gardening for years, and had a garden design/install company (me, myself and I) for 15 years. I closed it down last fall so I could concentrate on my own gardens, and new ventures. This is my first time sending in photos. I have lots of photo files of client gardens, and more of my own I will send them in bit by bit.
LUV, love LOVE the contained garden presentation by the door! VERY nice composition! ( I Love when Art and Gardens dance together!) I've noticed here (on the edge of the Southern Great Plains,) that many plants go through a banner season, when conditions are just right for that specie, and they really steal the show for that year. E.g., Three years ago, we had an Autumnal climax which arguably rivaled y'all's legendary spectacle in New England. Two years ago, the native Rudbeckias and introduced Iris were show and traffic stoppers. Last year, the native Dogwoods painted these slopes with clouds of white for weeks! (This spring, not so much. Still showy, tho!) While this current season is just beginning, I'm waiting to see who gets the Soloist honours and applause this year. My early vote goes to the Wisterias, both natives and orientals. Have never seen them SO happy! It pays to have a camera at the ready, and am appreciative you captured your effort's abundance for sharing!!
Oh, you are so lucky, Jesse, to have such a spectacular wisteria show to enjoy. We had one of those bud destroying late freezes that was perfectly timed (grr) to put the kibosh on much flowering. It's always so disappointing when that happens...so yay for your part of the country.
This amount of flamboyance does not happen every year...just this one, and I'm glad I was able to enjoy it and expressed a little note of appreciation to "the Listener."
And, I feel your pain on the late freezes. We have them here, too, sometimes, and it's SO heartbreaking. I'm hoping that your gardens contain a respectable diversity, and perhaps not all members succumbed to that cruel joke?
And, something tells me you're one of us who cries a little, sighs a lot, and then picks up the trowel and gets right back after it!!
Well, you guessed correctly, Jesse, I do have lots of other satisfying sights that give solace when the wisteria punks out. But I do find the wisteria is full bloom quite wondrous. I guess I need the disappointment every couple of years to put in perspective how amazing it it is when it all works out. Here's a picture from a good year...
OK, that is stunning, Michaele! It is sort of like the huge magnolias all around Columbus. They only get to bloom without freezing maybe 3 out of 5 years, but the spectacular display is worth the occasional disappointment! I have an Oyama magnolia ('colossus') but it blooms much later. It got completely zapped by our late freeze this year, but is pushing out new leaves and new buds and will bloom later. I love it. You should have one if you don't: Magnolia sieboldii. The heavenly white flowers nod in a melancholy way.
I don't have either of those types of magnolia, Tim. Looked them both up and they have very pretty blooms, don't they? I have several of the old fashioned magnolias that have the large, almost leathery leaves that stay on through the winter. Their blooms have a fresh lemony scent. Here's a funny story...in college one year, I sewed those large leaves to a black body suit and said I was the Jolly Green Giant. Good thing I was generous with the number of leaves I used cause I was shedding them throughout the evening.
That's a great story and it was a great idea! I love those big, southern magnolias. We have a few scrawny ones scattered here and there that of the hardiest versions, but they don't thrive like they do further south. cheers,
tim
¡¡¡¡ Wish I could've attended that party!!!!!!! Good times!!
My young vines have a long, long, LONG way to go before they reach this level of stature, maturity, and WOW factor!! Beautifully grown and displayed!! I'm going to show my youngsters this picture to coax them along!! "See??? This is what y'all are capable of!! It's in your Genes, guys!! Don't hold back!!" (Oh, wait...did I say that aloud???) ;-0
Oh, and PS: LOVE the dragonfly!!!
At this point, Jesse, do you have your wisteria growing on a strongly built structure. We learned ahead of time to build something with substance because the vines have great vigor as they get older. Thanks for the compliment on the dragonfly.
Sage advice!! And, I would say that the support it has is minimal.
A 5 x 6 porch post on one side, 4 x 6 pressure treated cross member, (2 each 2 x 6's married,) going over to a 4 x 4 pressure treated free standing post. This simple pergola was built to mirror the style of the Log Cabin and is also simply but sturdily braced. Indeed, I'm actually counting on the vine to strengthen and further stabilize the wooden components it's growing over and enclosing!!
I (personally) hope to mimic the maturation trait of this vine which you alluded to in your note....so far: Partial success!! (Knock on wood...pun intended!!)
So beautiful!!#
You have quite an eye for arranging plants. Love the vibrant colors.
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